Sensory Inputs that Support Development

Your TOUCH sense…

• Supports the development of the body map. This promotes skills like imitation and sensing things like if your shoes are on the wrong feet.
• Touch is an essential foundation for oral motor and fine motor development
• Children engage in touch-based activities to develop this sense in a variety of ways including messy play, water play, and playing in a sandbox.
• What are some fun touch activities you can try with your child?
  • Use a large exercise ball to roll over and “steam roll” your child
  • Use a blanket to wrap your child up like a “burrito”
  • Create a pile of pillows your child can jump in 
  • Provide opportunities for water and messy play

Your MUSCLE & JOINT sense….

• Supports one’s body awareness and ability to accurately grade their movements.
• Proprioception works with the touch system to support skills like imitation.  It is important for being able to automatically move one’s body accurately for tasks such as dressing, climbing a ladder, and throwing a ball.
• Children engage in muscle and joint based activities such as climbing, jumping, and using riding toys.
• What are some fun muscle & joint activities you can try with your child?
  • Play games that involve pushing items inside a large box or laundry baskets
  • Digging in the sandbox or garden
  • Carrying heavier items such as buckets of sand or large blocks
  • Play games where you pretend to be animals 

Your MOVEMENT sense…..

• Is your body’s “internal GPS” that tells you where you are in space.
• The movement system has far reaching connections that influence our balance, posture, and eye skills all which are essential for motor skill development & feeling secure in the world.
• Children engage in movement activities such as swinging, riding slides, and rolling down a hill.
• What are some fun movement activities you can try with your child?
  • Log rolling games – can add themes like bowling or squishing pretend bugs
  • Create jumping games like jumping off the couch into a pile of pillows
  • Use riding toys 
  • Use an exercise ball to bounce on or roll on top of

Every person has different sensory preferences and thresholds.  Offer your child different sensory opportunities and follow their lead with comfort and preferences.